Kendo Kobayashi stays at a manga-filled business hotel in Akashi on his new show

Kendo Kobayashi premieres a new show this Thursday, October 8 on BS Asahi, in which he stays at business hotels and strolls through the entertainment districts around them. This week's episode takes place in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, and starts at 10:30 PM.

The premise is simple: the comedian checks into a budget accommodation, drops off his suitcase, and heads out to wander into whatever local spots catch his eye. The network bills it as a tour of local food and drink, nothing more.

The hotel featured in this installment is the Business Akashiya Ryokan Bekkan. According to BS Asahi's press release, it's a business inn with a unique twist: it has shelves full of manga. Guests can read them and cap off the day in the large communal bath.

Kendo Kobayashi walks through the covered arcade in Akashi.kobe-journal.com

The food tour stops at a Japanese restaurant that works with seasonal ingredients. There, Kobayashi tries tai no kamameshi, rice with sea bream cooked in an iron pot, paired with sake.

The show is called Kenkoba no Business Hotel —Kobe Journal describes it as a program for "enjoying business hotels in a laid-back way"—. The premise suits the comedian's profile, known for his love of urban walks and unpretentious local spots.

Kendo Kobayashi enjoys his meal at the restaurant counter.kobe-journal.com

An unscripted travel format

BS Asahi is betting on a low-cost format in which the host doesn't follow a set itinerary. The official description talks about "walking into whatever shops interest him" in the entertainment district near the hotel. There are no challenges or games: just getting around, food, and drinks.

Akashi, a coastal city famous for its sea bream and octopus fishing, provides the perfect setting for this kind of local tourism. The covered arcade Kobayashi walks through is one of the oldest commercial arteries in the area, lined with bars and restaurants that survive off the tourist trail.

Thursday's broadcast airs in BS Asahi's nighttime slot. In recent years, the network has strengthened its travel and food programming with familiar faces from Japanese comedy. Kobayashi, 54, has decades of experience in this type of show.

The Akashi episode is the first in a series that, according to the information released, will visit different parts of the country. The upcoming locations and the total number of episodes have not yet been announced.